They’re black and white, notoriously smelly, and they seem to be running rampant in the city. Calgary Herald reporter Annalise Klingbeil gets the scoop on skunks from some local pest control experts.

1. Where do they live?

Skunks are nocturnal scavengers that tend to be particularly active in Calgary during the summertime. Nicholas Holland, owner of Peregrine General Pest Control Inc., says the critters adore living under a home’s steps, porch and in backyard sheds. “The smaller the area, the more likely the skunk will make (the area) its home permanently,” Holland says. Homeowners are encouraged to prevent denning by closing off any potential entrances with loose soil or gravel, according to Cal-Rid Exterminators Inc. Iris Bobeau, a customer service representative with the company, says as the city continues to expand, skunks may pose more of a problem. “We’re building into their territory, so to speak, and taking away their homes and so they’re coming into the city for food and shelter,” she says.

2. Whom should you call?

If skunks are causing you grief, do not call 311. The City of Calgary urges Calgarians experiencing a problem with skunks (or a long list of other small pests including crows, gophers, moles, raccoons and squirrels) to contact their “local pest control company.” Strategies differ depending on whom you call and customers are encouraged to shop around. Some pest-control companies trap and remove skunks, while Ken Cheek, a wildlife zoologist and the owner of Calgary Humane Wildlife Control, says he prefers a different approach called exclusion. Cheek’s company installs special screening at a skunk’s burrow entrance. Then, a door that only opens one way — to the outside — so the animal can leave the den but not come back is installed. “When the skunk finds out she’s been locked out, she’ll go somewhere else that she knows is safe,” Cheek says.

3. Are there more skunks in Calgary this year compared to previous years?

Maybe, according to those working in Calgary’s busy skunk-removal industry. Bobeau, with Cal-Rid Exterminators Inc., says the Calgary company purchased about a dozen new skunk traps earlier this year “because all the ones that we have got are used.” The company now has more than 50 traps. Holland, with Peregrine General Pest Control Inc., says his company typically captures 100 to 120 skunks a year and so far this year, they’re on track for similar numbers. Meanwhile, Cheek, with Calgary Humane Wildlife Control, says the company is having a record year “but that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s more skunks.” Cheek suspects the extra demand for his services could be because more people are noticing skunks, or because skunks that have been trapped are returning. That said, Cheek notes mama skunks typically give birth to six to eight babies per litter and this spring, he discovered a litter of 16 skunks in a client’s yard. A massive litter like that can be attributed to a very healthy mama skunk, Cheek said.

4. What is it actually like to be sprayed by a skunk?

“Part of the job is you get paid to stand in the fire,” says Holland, who has been in the pest control business for 16 years. Holland estimates he gets sprayed by a skunk once a year and, surprisingly, he says it’s not actually that bad. “It doesn’t bother me anymore. Isn’t that a shame to say?” he says. “It’s obviously a very strong odour. What’s interesting is what it gets on to. It latches onto the funniest things.” Most pest control experts remove their belts, wedding bands, wallets and keys, and put on disposable coveralls before going near a skunk trap, but even so, Holland says the odour has a “magnificent way” of attaching on to anything from shoelaces to hands and it can take a week or two to completely get rid of the odour. Pest-control experts say it’s actually not that common to be sprayed and Holland says skunks caught in squirrel traps set up by homeowners attempting to catch squirrels, and juvenile skunks, are the worst offenders when it comes to spraying.

5. How much does skunk removal cost?

A lot. While prices and techniques range, many pest control companies charge upwards of $200 to trap and remove a single skunk. Thus, it can cost several hundred dollars to remove a family and there’s no guarantee the little critters won’t come back. The cost of Cheek’s skunk exclusion service, which he said will remove the mammal(s) for good, depends on the job but ranges from $400 to $600.

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